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Tag: Girish Mahajan

  • News18 Lokmat rings in Ganeshotsav with grand 20 day Bappa Morya Re

    News18 Lokmat rings in Ganeshotsav with grand 20 day Bappa Morya Re

    MUMBAI: Ganpati fever swept across Maharashtra, and News18 Lokmat made sure viewers didn’t miss a beat. With its 20-day special line-up ‘Bappa Morya Re’, the state’s No.1 news channel transformed television screens into a window to Maharashtra’s most cherished festival.

    The channel’s coverage spanned it all from the crafting of eco-friendly idols to the arrival of Bappa in every mohalla, from festive markets buzzing with preparations to kitchens where traditional modaks and delicacies were being perfected. Heartfelt stories of devotees sat alongside explorations of Ganesh Chaturthi’s cultural significance, giving audiences a holistic festive experience.

    Adding extra sparkle was the ‘Bappa Morya Re’ Mandal Competition, which saw pandals across Maharashtra compete with creative themes, devotional flair, and socially relevant messages woven into their decorations. The competition captured the innovative spirit of mandals, blending tradition with contemporary relevance.

    The celebrations weren’t confined to the streets. At News18 Lokmat’s own office, the channel created a festive hub where leaders and stars came together to seek Bappa’s blessings. The chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, and ministers including Uday Samant and Girish Mahajan joined the prayers. Adding a touch of glamour, film and TV personalities such as Mahesh Manjrekar, Siddharth Jadhav, Prasad Oak, Adinath Kothare, Sonali Khare, Milind Gunjaji, Lina Bhagwat, and Adesh Bandekar also turned up to celebrate.

    The initiative was supported by a host of partners: Oxyrich (co-presenter), Pitambari Devbhakti, Reliance Industries Ltd, SBI (banking partner), Kirti Oil (celebration partner), Parasnath Speciality Clinic, Younity Energy, Society Tea, Senco Gold (jewellery partner), Brand Banao.AI, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, and JSW Neo Steel.

    With its extensive statewide coverage, star-studded celebrations, and spirited mandal contests, News18 Lokmat’s ‘Bappa Morya Re’ once again proved why it’s synonymous with Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra blending devotion, festivity, and culture into one vibrant package.

  • Mumbai Festival unveils spectacular anthem: “Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai”

    Mumbai Festival unveils spectacular anthem: “Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai”

    Mumbai: The excitement surrounding the Mumbai Festival 2024 now reaches new heights with the launch of the influencer marketing activity to raise awareness of the festival, the thrilling “Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai Hookstep Challenge” choreographed by Remo D’Souza, and invited social media users and influencers to create their versions on social media to spread festive cheer and win passes for various activities at the Mumbai Festival.

    With a fantastic lineup of renowned vocalists, “Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai” features the mesmerising vocals of Sukhwinder Singh, the power-packed voice of Shankar Mahadevan, the soulful melodies of Harshdeep Kaur, the contagious energy of Falguni Pathak, the powerful tones of Avadhoot Gupte, and the rhythmic beats of The Dharavi Dream Project. This collaboration captures the spirit of Mumbai’s cultural diversity by bringing together a wide spectrum of musical talents. The anthem is more than a melody; it celebrates Mumbai’s soul.

    The anthem will become the city’s heartbeat with its throbbing beats and upbeat lyrics. It will echo throughout the streets during the upcoming Mumbai Festival from January 20 to January 28, 2024.

    With the resounding message of “Everyone’s Invited,” the Mumbai Festival seeks to unite individuals from all walks of life to celebrate the festive atmosphere of this cultural event.

    Mumbai EK Tyohar Hai

    Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra Girish Mahajan said, “The Mumbai Festival will reflect the vibrant spirit Mumbai embodies. It will showcase everything Mumbai offers for people from every walk of life. This festival will turn the entirety of Mumbai into a festival that one will never forget. A celebration of this magnitude will only highlight Mumbai’s unique character globally, attracting tourists from all over the world who come to witness the depth of our city’s legacy.”

    Mumbai Festival Advisory Committee chairperson Anand Mahindra said, “As a Mumbai Festival Advisory Committee member, I am delighted to see this seminal cultural event take shape. A product of the collective efforts of Mumbai’s public and private sector stakeholders, the festival will be an unforgettable experience for tourists and Mumbaikars alike. A tribute to the city’s diversity and artistic enthusiasm, the festival showcases Mumbai’s true essence: “Sapno ka Gateway”, a melting pot of countless hopes, ambitions, cultures, and dreams.”

    Commenting on the anthem, composer of ‘Mumbai Ek Tyohar hai’ Music Anthem for the Mumbai Festival – Shamir Tandon expressed, “Mumbai, my birthplace, where dreams find their rhythm and aspirations thrive in the city’s pulse. It’s a vibrant tapestry where relentless dedication fuels ambitions into realities. Amidst a sea of talented musicians, engineers, and artists converging from diverse origins, I found my place within this bustling ecosystem.

    Crafting the “Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai” anthem for the Mumbai festival was a cherished opportunity, a celebration that resonates with the essence of this cosmopolitan hub. Embracing voices from every corner of the nation in this lively metropolis, we stitched together ‘Mumbai Ek Tyohar Hai,’ an anthem harmonising myriad influences and genres.

    Through a symphony of varied instruments and melodies, we painted a musical canvas honouring the city’s unity in diversity. The resonating beats of the Nasik Dhol, the spirited rhythms of Garba, and the triumphant echoes of Balle Balle mirror the essence of Marathi, Gujarati, and Punjabi cultures interwoven seamlessly within Mumbai’s fabric.

    We welcomed iconic voices like Sukhwinder, Falguni Pathak, Avadhoot Gupte, Harshdeep Kaur, and others, and we captured the soul of their regions in every note. This amalgamation of talent and sonic heritage epitomises Mumbai—a perpetual festival that pulsates with life day and night, earning its title as the city that never sleeps. We have also captured the underbelly of Mumbai with Dharavi Boys rapping what they feel!

    In this anthem, we encapsulated Mumbai’s spirit—a melodic saga that unites myriad cultures into one symphony, echoing the unity in our city of dreams.”

    Award-winning singer and composer Padmashri Shankar Mahadevan said, “Thrilled to lend my voice to Mumbai Festival’s anthem, a rhythmic piece embodying diverse emotions, spirit, and unity. As a proud Mumbaikar, contributing to this project has been a joyous experience. Special thanks to the collective of singers, Sukhwinder Singh, Harshdeep Kaur, Falguni Pathak, Avdhoot Gupte, the Dharavi Boys and Shamir Tandon for infusing true brilliance into the anthem. Music, with its unique power to connect, will resonate through this anthem. I eagerly look forward to the Mumbai Festival, where our collective voices will echo the festive spirit of Mumbai.”

    Excited about the collaboration, Dolly from The Dharavi Dream Project said, “Dharavi, often recognised as the second-largest slum in Asia, conceals a treasure—the continent’s second-largest recycling hub. At The Dharavi Dream Project, our musical compositions draw inspiration from the beating heart of these streets. Our journey has been shaped by the genuine rhythms of Mumbai’s gullies, fostering a deep connection with the community. Through music, we empower the talented youth, transforming these streets into stages of opportunity, paving the way for a brighter tomorrow.”

    As the Mumbai Festival draws nearer, the anthem previews the cultural extravaganza that awaits, ensuring a nine-day celebration that will win over the hearts of tourists and Mumbai residents.

  • Pinterest’s new pitch to advertisers; impressive or run of the mill?

    Pinterest’s new pitch to advertisers; impressive or run of the mill?

    MUMBAI: Today, disruption is the operative word and brands of all hues are harnessing the digital medium to create cutting-edge communication. However, online audiences are very impatient and want things instantly – things that can sustain their interest, considering they have a short attention span to boot.

     

    An online platform that has endeavoured to help consumers curate and share things they love is Pinterest. Founded four years ago by Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp, Pinterest has caught the attention of marketers with the launch of its various ad inventories over the past six months.

     

    According to a report published in Reuters last month, Pinterest has raised a new $200 million round of funding that gives it a valuation of $5 billion. The company last raised money in October 2013 at $3.8 billion valuation in a round led by Fidelity Investments.

     

    The social media platform stated in the report that it would use the capital to invest in technology, develop its advertising program further, and expand internationally. Pinterest said it has raised a total of $764 million so far from the time of its inception.

     

    Pinterest also introduced a new advertising tool called ‘Promoted Pins’, in January this year. According to digital experts in India, the social media platform tested the inventory in multiple phases. It was just last month that the platform made a small roll out with a group of brands in the U.S. This comprised ABC Family, Banana Republic, Expedia.com, GAP, General Mills, Kraft, lululemon athletica, Nestle’s few products, Old Navy, Target, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Ziploc.

     

    While on an average it takes around $30 to $40 to advertise on Pinterest, according to experts, with ‘Promoted Pins’, Pinterest aims to improve functionality, generate revenue and serve additional content around the pin. The company also aims at generating between $1 million and $2 million per campaign from its big advertising partners.

     

    To address the large chunk of small and medium-sized businesses Pinterest is going to take a different route and opening up ‘Promoted Pins’ to more businesses in a very Facebook-like advertising model. Instead of paying by impressions, like on Facebook, with Pinterest’s this inventory, brands only pay when people click through to their brand website.

     

    It is learnt that Pinterest is also prepping up to open a data firehose by the name Business Insights API. With this, companies will be able to customize their online campaigns based on user insights.

     

    Pinterest’s move is being likened to what Facebook initiated only to be taken over by Twitter later. Indiantelevision.com spoke to social media experts to understand what this means to an emerging market like India.

     

    Digital Quotient strategy and planning head Girish Mahajan opines that though Pinterest has gained a lot of momentum worldwide, in India, its power is yet to be fully realized. “This is mainly because Indians constitute only eight per cent of the entire Pinterest user base. But if your business is fashion, interiors, arts or F&B, Pinterest could be an interesting tool to make shopping easier and fun,” he says.

     

    “If a brand wants greater engagement of a particular target audience say women, in that case, Pinterest can prove to be tremendously influential. Visual is Pinterest’s strength, a very important factor for retailers. Also when compared to other social media tools, the amount of time required to run digital campaigns on Pinterest in less. Promoted Pins are available on an invite-only basis; it is essentially a CPM-based model. Pinterest is aiming for e-commerce bucks unlike Facebook and Twitter. The platform will evolve more into a second base for e-commerce sites other than FB or Twitter. At present in India, advertising options are not fully available but in the near future, we will witness people leveraging this tool better,” Mahajan added.

     

    According to RAPP India president Venkat Mallik ‘Promoted Pins’ will work well but only if brands handle them well. “If the promoted pins are overly ‘salesly’ they are likely to get rejected. The visual of promoted pins needs to look like content that is generally interesting to people with related interests and then have a sales message may be one layer down. There are a number of theories about the kind of pictures that get the largest amount of likes and repins and some of those could potentially serve as guidelines on how to make promoted pins work better as well,” mentioned Mallik.

     

    Facebook’s buying of Instagram last year added a lot of value especially in a market like India.  According to social baker Nike, MTV and Starbuck are the top brands in Indian on Instagram.  Ignitee social media head Nikhil Kharbanda says that many Indian brands prefer Instagram to Pinterest because of the former’s reach and subtle advertising option such as sponsored post/video. Though Instagram doesn’t release numbers according to many international news reports, the application has doubled its user base in the last one year.

     

    “The way ahead in creating effective communication on social media is to bet high on image marketing. It can be noted that currently, Indian brands are interestingly using Instagram in their digital media mix but I am positive that with platforms such as Pinterest introducing affordable advertising options, there will be much more action seen from brands in this space,” adds Kharbanda.

     

    Whether Pinterest will be able to make a dent on Instagram’s popularity with Indian brands, only time will tell…